A/N: The inner critic has been wildly rude and mean as of late. Be gentle.
Chapter 3:
Eternal Flame
Alison was curled up on the couch clutching a wine glass in her hands. She was surprised at how quickly she'd acclimated to her new home. She knew it was Emily's presence that made the little space so calming. It spoke volumes about the net of safety that the brunette had created in her life. Wherever she went, Emily would always be her home.
She stared at the little mantel above the television.
She'd been so out of it last night that she hadn't looked at the pictures. There was one of them as teenagers, their cheeks both sun-kissed from the heat. Emily stood behind her. Alison's arm was reaching back at an awkward angle to grasp the back of her neck to pull her face forward. Emily's arms were folded across Alison's waist. Both of them were mid-laugh, their eyes searching for each other.
I remember that day.
It was long before the A days. Long before their lives had been upended.
They'd been swimming all day and all the other girls had gone home. But it was hard to get Emily to leave. She loved the water. And Alison loved to watch Emily in the water. She was all arms and legs. Her body sliced through it, like a mystical mermaid.
She scanned the other pictures. There was one of Emily, Samara, and Zoe standing with a group of people outside of the LGBTQ Alliance. There were several of Emily's parents and some of their adventures back in Rosewood together. She also had more recent photos of her times in California with people Alison didn't know. The blonde was torn between her jealousy and curiosity. Other people had been with her the past three years, and it grated her nerves that she hadn't gotten that time with her.
She wanted to blame Charlotte, but the only person she could blame was herself. She'd made the decision to stay.
Stupidest decision of my life.
"I'll start." Emily sank down on the cushion next to her, clasping her own wine glass.
Her face was already flushed, though it was hard to tell if it was because of the alcohol or if her emotions were getting to her. Alison assumed it was the latter given Emily had only had two sips of her drink.
"Is there anything you want to know about what's been going on with me the last three years?" The brunette opened the door for conversation.
Alison thought it was really wise of her to want to clear the air, though she wasn't sure it was going to be easy. Talking about the last three years was going to lead back to Rosewood. And she hadn't fully processed everything yet.
The blonde tapped the side of the cheap wine glass. Not that she cared it was cheap. She just knew vintage from thrift shop. She didn't mind the difference. She would have taken the wine even if it was in a chipped old coffee cup.
She had so much she wanted to ask Emily.
The first question that came to mind made her hesitate.
"What happened between you and Paige?" It made her sound like an envious child. But she had to know. "I know you mentioned it didn't work out, but…" She stopped short of admitting she'd obsessively looked at that picture of her and Paige on the beach and simmered in rage. She took a sip of her wine just to have an excuse to stop talking, "…I don't know…I'm just wondering how it happened."
Especially given that their relationship had happened so quickly after Emily had moved to Malibu. Alison had been sulking around in her bed while Emily was doing whatever she was doing with Paige.
Gag.
Picturing the brunette with anyone else made her feel sick, but especially Paige. Alison knew she had been terrible to Paige, and she'd apologized. She'd even meant what she'd said in her apology. But deep down she resented her, because it was Paige who tipped the cops off that she was alive. It had put her in danger. It had put all of the girls in danger. It had led Alison back to Emily, but not without consequence.
Emily knew the question was coming, but it still made her uncomfortable. She still had feelings for Alison when Paige came back into the picture, but she felt pressured to try and reconcile things with her ex.
Paige had moved way too fast. Emily had cared for her at one point, but in growing up and drifting apart she'd realized that Paige loved her way more than she'd ever loved her back.
Paige had been a placeholder for her broken heart, which made her feel guilty. It felt like a betrayal to both Alison and Paige. She felt like she was cheating on Alison even though they weren't exclusive. And she felt like she was using Paige.
She had been caught between a rock and a hard place.
"You already know most of the story. Everything I said on the beach was true. There is not much more to it. She ran into me a week after I got here."
Probably stalked you here. The very immature part of Alison's brain had a hard time letting go of her jealousy.
She knew it was childish, but she was able to admit that to herself. She still had some work to do to improve her life.
"We started as friends. She wanted to be more, so we tried dating for a little while. But I realized I didn't feel the same way she felt. We just weren't compatible." Emily shrugged, and then added with a mutter, "I don't think we were ever compatible…"
Alison got a great deal of satisfaction out of hearing it, but she tried not to show it.
"We wanted different futures. She tried so hard to make it work…to mold us into the same career path and to live a certain way." Just like she'd tried to do in high school. "But I didn't want what she wanted. And she didn't want what I want. So I ended it."
Emily was resolved to the fact that things with Paige just weren't working. She had been confused and sad and missed Alison. She wasn't sure what direction her life was supposed to go after she left Rosewood.
Alison liked the fact that it had been Emily who broke up with Paige. That meant she didn't harbor any real feelings for her anymore.
"Have there been other girls?" Alison bit her tongue, trying to ready herself for the answer
Don't act like a jealous nitwit.
"Several." Emily didn't hold back, and Alison immediately felt like asking for names so she could find them and slap them. "But nothing serious. I've just been too busy with work and school. I barely have time to sleep, much less try and connect with new people."
Alison didn't miss the new she'd thrown in front of people.
Did that mean that they had a real chance to make things work with them?
"Was there ever a time where you and Samara…"
Emily chuckled and cut her off.
"Neither one of us felt anything when we ran into each other at Pepperdine. We grabbed lunch and caught up. I was seeing someone else at the time and she was dating Zoe. There wasn't anything between us anymore. What we had in Rosewood was short-lived. And it was a long time ago. We work much better as friends."
"It sounds like you're doing well out here." Alison offered a friendly smile. "What do you plan to do after you graduate?"
"I've been leaning towards microbiology or research science. I've done better than I thought I would in getting my Biology degree. I might consider going to graduate school afterwards."
"So more school."
"More school." Emily leaned back, swirling her wine around in the glass. "I really like connecting with other students. I was so shy when I was younger, but things opened up for me here. I like doing things that are going to make a difference."
Her little philanthropist heart.
"My dad taught me all about giving back." Emily pressed her lips against the side of her wine glass and tilted it towards her mouth.
"So your dream is to help others." It was no surprise. It was who Emily was at her core.
"Part of it." Emily licked her lips. My dream is you and me in Sweet Par-ee. She'd dreamed about standing on top of the Eiffel Tower next to Alison for years. "What about you?"
"Movie star, of course." Alison winked. "Nothing near as courageous as you."
"I don't know. I think being on camera is pretty bold." Emily lifted her brows. "Besides…with as connected as our generation is to being online sometimes artists can become a safe haven. I think there are benefits to every career. I think anyone can make a difference…even if they don't know it. You don't know how much I wish I had more queer representation when I was growing up. And television and movies and books and music…they're a wonderful escape. You have to appreciate those who create those safe places."
Alison leaned back against the arm of the couch, one arm crossed over her stomach. She gripped her wine glass, holding it close to her lips as she studied the brunette. The girl always found the positive side of things.
"I bet your parents are super proud of you." She smiled over the rim of her glass at Emily.
Emily's eyes darted to the side, a sheepish look washing across her face. She looked like she felt guilty.
"I don't talk to them as much as I should." She frowned. "They're the whole reason I have this." She gestured around the condo. "I mean, I'm working my ass off, too. But they helped. I never could have made the down payment or gotten a loan without them. I should call them more."
"I should have checked in on your mom like I said I would." Alison had been in such a rage about Emily leaving that she couldn't stand to see her mother without her heart feeling like it had been shredded to pieces.
She had taken a few store-bought baked goods and casseroles to her, but she felt like Pam probably hated her for choosing Charlotte over the girls.
No one in town realized that it was an impossible choice for her. If she abandoned her sister she would be no better than their parents. But if she stayed, people would hate her. People were going to hate her either way.
She'd wanted more than anything to accept Emily's offer to come to California with her, but she felt responsible for what happened to Emily and the girls. A small part of her felt like she didn't deserve to be happy.
"My mom is fine." Emily lowered her glass and put it against a coaster, a very Pam Fields move. "Toby checks in on her."
"That's nice of him."
It didn't change the fact that Alison had broken her word. Checking on Pam was the least she could have done for her. Instead she had been childish and petty about everything.
"Did you and Toby ever run into each other?" Emily turned towards her.
Emily had picked Toby's brain for information on how the blonde was doing, but Toby never had an answer for her.
Alison stared in her glass as if she was searching for the meaning of life as she contemplated how to answer.
Toby Cavanaugh was someone else she owed an apology to. She had framed him for a horrific crime when he was being taken advantage of by his stepsister.
She didn't know he was being coerced into sex with her against his will. She just thought the two of them were scandalous.
She'd never apologized to him for making him take the fall for the fire she'd caused in his garage. How could she even begin to apologize for getting him arrested for a crime he never committed?
Then she realized that she had forgiven the girls for that exact same thing. Jail had been awful. She had been jumped a few times. She imagined it was worse for men in jail. They had a lot more rage and there was usually a much bigger pissing contest. Not that girls didn't fight dirty. She'd been in enough fights to know that.
"Not really. Not often. His builds keep him busy. Most of the houses he's working on are right outside the city limits. And we didn't hang out at the same places. When I wasn't growing my brand online, I was at the high school. You remember that ancient old receptionist in Principal Hackett's office?" Alison put her wine glass down on a coaster next to Emily's glass.
"Oh yeah." Emily smiled. "Mrs. Patty. Everyone used to call her Peppermint Patty because she was always sucking on a peppermint."
"Always." Alison chuckled.
That wasn't the only reason she'd been called Peppermint Patty. She'd set off Alison's Bi-Fi. The blonde was certain the woman was closeted.
"Well, she retired, so there was an opening at the front desk. I was bored at home. Being a social influencer wasn't enough…"
And I didn't know how to get over losing you and simultaneously deal with Charlotte.
"I applied for the position. I thought having a steady day job would give me a sense of direction. Jason thought I was insane, especially since pretty much everyone there knew my history. But I told him I wanted to prove to them that I'd changed."
And maybe prove it to myself, too.
She had a lot to atone for and she thought that the school would be the best place to start. She wanted people to see that she wasn't the same girl she'd been when she'd been a student there.
"I never thought Hackett would actually go for it, especially since I wasn't shy about posting things on socials. I thought he'd say something like I'd be a danger magnet or that he'd turn me down because of my record…even though it was sealed. But he called me. And we had a long conversation. He thought it would be beneficial for the students and for me. He thought that I might be able to relate to the kids coming in. To show them that just because you were one thing in high school doesn't mean there isn't room for growth."
"That's really incredible. Being a teenager is one of the most difficult periods in life. It must have been a relief for the students to see someone like you sitting in that seat." Pride was oozing out of Emily, and Alison loved it.
"It was kind of cool. Of course, a lot of them already knew me. Some of them hated me until they got to know me. I got to make some fun content with them. Once I started going viral I became a lot more interesting to the students. Some wanted to know my story. Others wanted to know what turned my life around and how I'd found success online. Some of the guys went out of their way to flirt with me. Some of the girls, too…" Her eyes widened when she realized it made her seem like a pervert. "Not that I would ever do anything…"
Even if she was only a year or two older, it still seemed wrong. She was hypersensitive to the issue of people in a position of power dating minors.
"Didn't think you would." Emily put her feet up on her ottoman.
"It would be an abuse of power. And after everything that happened with Aria and Ezra…" She went silent at the thought of Aria being in a relationship with their English teacher.
None of them had seen anything wrong with it. They didn't know any better. They were kids, too. Alison had even gone to bat for Ezra, but that's before she realized she'd been groomed in her own life. Older men in Rosewood leaned on the side of perversion. But the girls didn't know that back then. They couldn't comprehend it. After Aria broke up with Ezra they started to realize the extent of the damage he'd caused.
"I would never put any student in that position." Alison cleared her throat and reached for her wine again and paused in thought. "How is Aria? Is she doing okay? I've messaged her, but we don't talk about any of that."
"She leans on Liam a lot. He's been really good for her." A pensive look crossed her face. "I think she's still processing. In a way...I think we all are. Ezra didn't just hurt her." Emily had been so pissed off when she learned the truth about him. She'd stormed into his classroom and had given him a piece of her mind. "He manipulated all of us. Made us feel like we could trust him. That's what people like Ezra do. Isolate vulnerable kids and twist their minds to make everything he did seem normal."
"I still think he should have gone to jail, but I know Aria didn't want to go through a trial." Alison swished her wine around and stared at it. "Not sure I would want to either. Courtrooms make me nervous."
She'd seen her fair share of them, and she was still traumatized from being sent to prison after Mona and Charlotte set her up for a murder she didn't commit. When the judge had banged that gavel and handed down the guilty verdict she thought her soul might leave her body.
The immense terror and the shock had crushed her where she was standing. She still remembered looking back at her friends helplessly. Her eyes had found Emily's. The brunette had looked as horrified as she felt.
"Yeah." Emily nodded, scratching an itch on the back of her neck. "I'm not a fan of courtrooms either."
Emily saw the flash of fear in Alison's eyes, and a bubbling guilt churned in her stomach.
"I'm really sorry…" Before Emily could finish her apology, Alison shushed her.
"It wasn't your fault I went to jail. We were all set up."
Emily wasn't sure she believed that. She still felt like it was partially her fault. It was also Mona's fault. And Charlotte's fault. Mona had been planning to set Alison up for her murder, but Charlotte double-crossed her.
That's why it was so mind-boggling that Alison had stayed in Rosewood for her sister. She hadn't just tortured them She'd tortured Alison, too.
She glanced at Alison, waiting on her to say something about Charlotte.
Alison took another sip of her wine.
Emily frowned and looked down at her hands.
She blinked and watched as her smooth tan knuckles morphed into abrasions oozing blood.
"Help! Help me!"
The screams still haunted her.
They had nearly died in that underground bunker.
Her heart was fluttering painfully quick, like the beats of a hummingbird's wings.
She was trapped.
So cold.
So dark.
The bitter taste of blood.
Lungs paralyzed.
The roaring noise.
Water pouring in.
Hands numb.
Unable to breathe.
Emily clenched her hands into fists to try and stop them from shaking.
When she looked up she was safe in her condo.
The blood was gone. The darkness in her mind remained.
She pushed it away and forced herself to focus.
Alison cocked her head curiously. Something in Emily's stance had changed, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She assumed the brunette was working through her past guilt. She had no idea her mind was still a prisoner in the Dollhouse.
"We played right into Charlotte's hands." Emily's breath came out shaky and uneven, "If we had just listened to you…"
"You did." Alison reminded her. "For the longest time you were by my side."
"I should have stuck it out." Emily replied stubbornly. "If I had...you would have been safe and the girls and I never would have ended up in that bunker."
Alison sighed. Emily still fancied herself a valiant savior. She inherited it from her father. All she wanted was for people to be safe. It's why she took a job as a lifeguard. It's why she worked with young and vulnerable kids at the LGBTQ Alliance. She actively sought to make the world a better place.
"You take on the weight of the world, you know that?" Alison smiled and reached over to caress Emily's arm.
The warmth of the alcohol was flowing through the blonde's veins. She wanted to do more than just talk. She had craved Emily's touch for three long years.
Emily relaxed underneath her touch. Goosebumps rose on her tan skin. A nervous smile played at her lips.
She had been so bold and daring at the Kissing Rock. But she seemed to be holding back now.
When Emily looked at her with her large doe eyes it almost looked as if she was a puppy seeking forgiveness for doing something unforgivable.
"Did the kids at school ask you about jail?" Emily cringed.
She would never be able to get the sight of Alison in an orange jumpsuit out of her mind.
She still feels guilty.
Was that what was holding her back?
"Yeah. Some did. It was kind of cathartic talking about it. I never really went into full detail, but I talked about some of my experiences. It was really cool working at the school." Alison glossed over the trauma she'd suffered in jail, avoiding the pain. "I liked being back there. The best part is that I didn't have to spend all my time sitting at a desk. I got to wander the halls. My favorite place to go was the library. I loved it. Spent a lot of time there."
The library reminded her of the time she'd been reading Great Expectations and Emily had found her. There had been a sweet little intimate moment between them after Emily kissed her. She had looked so shy and embarrassed, but it had turned Alison on.
Alison remembered the heat she'd felt in her cheeks and the misguided drunk butterflies smacking into each other in her stomach. She remembered the way the tingling sensation slowly overtook her limbs. She'd felt it in the tips of her toes.
That kiss had changed everything.
"Good memories in that library." Emily smiled, and it was clear that kiss was on her mind, too.
"Very much so." She took another drink of her wine.
The conversation was getting harder. There was only so much she could say before it would lead directly back to Charlotte. And that was a hard conversation.
"I spent two years at the school. I was actually thinking about applying for a position in the library. But it just didn't feel like…me. I knew I wanted more. My real passion has always been being a star. The job at the school was just to keep my mind busy. When I wasn't at school I was somewhere else."
With Charlotte.
But she wasn't sure how to bring it up.
"Jason and I would go to lunch a few times a week. Just to try and reconnect. He's been working with non-profits."
That was the extent of what she knew about what was going on with her brother. Because they didn't talk anymore. They hadn't talked since Alison left town.
She wasn't sure he was ever going to talk to her again. Not after what she'd done.
"That's good to hear you both found your place in Rosewood." Emily looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't push.
"Yeah, but the thing is…the longer I stayed the more I realized I didn't belong there." Because I belong with you. "It's such a small town. And I outgrew it years ago." She'd only stayed because of her sister. "I wanted more for my life. So…" She looked around at Emily's condo. "Here I am." She polished off the last of her wine and put the glass aside. "I was actually in contact with some agents out here after I posted a viral dance on TikTok. I was also constantly putting out content on my Instagram because I knew someone would notice me."
"Glad things worked out." Emily genuinely looked like she meant it…that she was happy for her.
Or maybe she was just happy that it had brought them back together.
"They really did."
Alison wasn't sure what else to say. She had tiptoed around the huge elephant in the room for long enough. She knew she wouldn't get away with brushing it aside, so she wasn't surprised when Emily angled her body towards her and brought it up.
"I'm happy for you, Ali. I really am. But…" She licked the wine off of her lips. "There is more to it. And I think we both know it. I understand why it might be hard to talk about it, but I think we should. Because I can't have it lingering in the air. I can't go back to being afraid of what's around every corner or jumping every time my phone goes off. I know you wouldn't have left Rosewood if you didn't have a good reason. And there is one thing we haven't talked about."
"Charlotte." Alison bit her lip.
Emily's eyes darted towards everywhere in the room but towards Alison. The name still caused her palms to sweat…her heart to hiccup.
Alison drew in a deep breath, trying to compose her thoughts. She looked at the brunette calmly.
"I don't know where to start. She was up for release…"
"What?" A hint of panic in Emily's voice brought back all the anger Alison had at her sister. "Aren't they supposed to notify us or something? Jesus Christ." She ran her fingers through her hair, her mind trapped in that Dollhouse. "Do the girls know?"
They hadn't said anything on the phone earlier.
All she could picture was a shadow falling over every one of her friends.
If Charlotte was out they needed to know.
She reached for her phone to warn her friends, but Alison cupped her wrist and lowered her hand. She forced Emily to look into her eyes.
"It didn't make it that far. She didn't get out. I…lobbied against it." She sighed.
"You did?" Emily stared at her in surprise.
Alison had spent three years trying to rehabilitate her sister and she had turned against her? Why?
Tears prickled her soft blue eyes. But she wasn't crying because of Charlotte. She was crying because of her brother.
"Jason was pissed at me. He wanted to bring her home. He still remembers her as that sweet little child. His imaginary friend."
God, her parents were such gaslighting assholes.
"Jason thought we could provide her with something stable. But I just…I couldn't let go of the past. Of what she'd done. I tried to see the good in her. But I know she's dangerous. And I'd never do that to you. So I told the Board I was against it. Jason has refused to acknowledge me since that day. And Charlotte. She…she hated me."
Alison spared Emily from what was said, but it didn't mean she had forgotten it.
She'd left Jason fuming in the board room and had gone back to Charlotte's room with her to try and explain why she was uncomfortable with her coming home, but Charlotte didn't want to hear it.
She'd just glared at Alison after she walked through the door to her room.
"When I get out I'll remember this. And you and your friends will pay for it."
The words still haunted her. It had stopped her cold to see the shift on her sister's face.
"Don't you DARE bring them into this." She'd hissed back at Charlotte. "You put them through enough. I won't let you hurt them again."
"Fuck you." Charlotte had drawn back and spit on her. "If I ever see you here again I'll kill you AND everyone you love." It had been one of the last things her sister had said to her. "It will make the Dollhouse look like child's play…" She'd whispered hatefully.
Alison understood her anger. More than anyone she had hoped that there was a way for Charlotte to reconcile her past and have a normal life.
When she looked into Charlotte's cold blue eyes that day she saw the ghost of her mother staring back at her…haunting her.
Alison pushed it away.
That's all she ever did. She pushed away her trauma and tried to make sense of it by grasping anything within her reach.
Charlotte had been within her reach after her mom died.
She had worked so hard to connect to her.
She truly thought she was getting better.
But as they stared at one another, Alison's shirt covered in her sister's spit, the older girl had been stripped down bare and exposed as the monster she truly was for the blonde to see.
She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that her betrayal would come back to haunt her. And Emily.
Alison was shaken after her visit. Her last visit.
She was worried about Jason, but he hadn't listened to her when she'd replayed what Charlotte had said to her.
He'd caught up to her in the parking lot and they'd had a very public spat.
"She's sick. She didn't mean it. She needs more treatment. But she needs to be home. This place is destroying her." He'd tried to rationalize it away.
Jason had his own demons. He'd spent every waking moment feeling guilty since they had learned the truth about Charlotte. Everything about his childhood had been a lie.
"She threatened to KILL me, Jason. I'm your sister, too."
"I know, but…" There had been a hesitation, and Alison had thought he was going to see things her way. Instead he just shook his head. "Mom and dad gave up on her. Who are we if we do the same?"
"Uh…sane? Our parents were right about her."
Jason shot her an angry glare.
"Don't. I should have protected her." He'd lamented. "I should have protected BOTH of you."
"We have to walk away from this. She's too dangerous." She'd pleaded with him.
"No."
"Well…I'm going."
"Going where?" He'd scoffed at her.
"I have an offer on the table for a modeling gig. So I'm going to California."
"Sure, run away. That's what you do best." He'd sneered angrily.
The shot had hit her directly in her heart, piercing it. At the very least, she thought her brother would understand. But he had taken her past and weaponized it against her.
"Whatever. Have a nice life."
She'd taken off in her car, but he'd followed and their fight had escalated at the house.
She had bolted the first chance she got.
It hurt her to leave. More than she was willing to admit. As angry as she was at her brother…she missed him. And as much as she hated Charlotte…she felt sorry for the child that had been devoured by the monster in her soul.
She didn't go into the details of what Charlotte said because she didn't want to scare Emily, but she'd never forget that day.
Alison forced herself to make eye contact with Emily again.
She was met with trepidation and compassion. Because Emily cared about her.
"Charlotte…she's…I just couldn't." Alison shook her head. "I couldn't sit there and lie about her release. Especially given what the panel was asking for. One of the conditions was to ask you and the others to come back and tell them that you were okay with it." She huffed angrily. "Can you fucking believe that?"
"So…" Emily struggled to keep up. "You stood up for us?"
She had gone against her flesh and blood…for her friends.
"It's…whatever." Alison tried to play it off modestly. "It's not a big deal."
"But it is." Emily's eyes were kind and soft and so inviting that Alison felt like kissing her again. "That must have been really hard for you after all that time you spent with her."
"I do what I have to do to survive." Alison shrugged, but a tremble in her voice gave her away.
"Hey..." Emily's gaze broke through the walls Alison had put up. "You can drop the act. It's just us. You don't have to hide how you're feeling."
When Emily reached out to touch her cheek Alison felt her edge completely soften. Her fingertips were like magic. She relaxed underneath her touch. But the second she did she was flooded with emotions she had been caging off for months.
Alison allowed herself to let out a shuddering breath. Letting her emotions out was equally terrifying and relieving.
"Everything about it was so messed up. And so hard. I wanted her to get better. But I think deep down I knew. She wrote letters to everyone she hurt," Alison said, slowly meeting Emily's surprised expression. "But I destroyed them. She apologized in them, but it felt…disingenuous. I know now that she just wanted out. And I couldn't let her hurt you anymore. The Board agreed with me."
"Really?" It looked like a heavy weight had been lifted off of Emily's shoulders.
"Yeah." She rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the unshed tears. "They're going to try again in five years. It's very doubtful she'll get out. I don't know what's going to happen for sure, but I promise…I'll always protect you."
Emily blinked a few times, but she didn't say anything. She looked like she was processing everything.
"Please don't tell the girls. I don't want to upset them. The only reason I'm telling you is because I want this relationship to work. And I know you need to know why I left. And I need you to know that it's really over between me and my family. I'm not going back."
"I won't say anything." The wheels seemed to be turning in Emily's head.
"You're probably glad I cut ties with her." But Alison didn't see any I told you so's on Emily's face. "But I feel…I don't really know how I feel yet. I spent three years with her. I thought she loved me. But she was just using me as a way to get out. It hurts. No one in my family ever loved me."
"Ali…" Emily looked at her, brown eyes teeming with sympathy.
"You were the only one who ever loved me, Em." Her lips quivered. "But I fucked that up back then. You were willing to love me and I pushed you away. Because that's all I knew how to do." Emily gently took her hand as the words tumbled out of her, "I acted like a bitch because I was overcompensating. I wasn't getting any love at home. And it made me feel entitled to it everywhere else. I didn't even realize I was doing until I looked back and thought about how awful I'd been. I didn't appreciate you or the girls. I didn't appreciate what I had. I hurt you all so much. I wake up regretting it every single day. I owe it to you to make it right…"
"You don't owe me anything. You don't owe anyone anything. You don't have to justify anything to me. I'm not going to judge you. You went to bat for us…against Charlotte." Emily knew it hadn't been easy for her. "That alone is telling."
Going against her family hadn't been easy to do. It should have been the easiest thing in the world, but Alison had been so conflicted in that moment.
She'd panicked at first. She had almost considered asking the girls to come back to testify on Charlotte's behalf. But then she realized what her sister was doing. Charlotte had never stopped manipulating people. And Alison refused to let her get away with it.
"The fact that I testified against Charlotte doesn't make up for everything I did in high school. I put you all through so much. Everything could have been avoided if I had just told the truth." Alison rubbed her palms together. "I was stupid. I acted like a bitch when I got back. You all believed Mona over me after she spent two years torturing you. I didn't understand. I know I wasn't perfect, but Mona tried to kill me. She tricked me into running." Though she was fully aware that it was her choice to remain on the run. "And when I came back she set me up. She threatened me. She stalked me. But no one believed me. I didn't know how to respond to anything, because I was too afraid."
She hadn't known what to do when her friends iced her out. She knew why they were upset, but she couldn't get them to listen to her. Because when she spoke she didn't tell the truth. She didn't know how to. And even when she tried to tell the truth it got twisted.
"That wasn't your fault." Emily's face blanched.
She wasn't proud of how she'd acted when Alison came back to town. She hadn't been a very good friend to her. If anyone owed someone an apology, Emily owed one to the blonde.
"I know, but in a situation like that someone always has to take the blame. Someone has to be the scapegoat. That's just how it is. People blamed me for everything bad that happened to them. No one knew that Mona weaponized your secrets. Charlotte did it, too. And for the longest time I couldn't understand why I was the bad guy…even though I was the bad guy sometimes."
"You weren't…" Emily shook her head. She looked at a loss for words. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you more. I should have been there. I should have fought harder for you. I never should have let it get as bad as it did. Your mom died and then everything happened with Mona and I…I was such an idiot." Hearing what Alison had gone through trudged up her own guilt. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You don't have to placate me. I'm a big girl." Alison flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat up straighter. "I know I'm not completely innocent. I do shoulder some of that blame. I regret everything I did to you all. You deserved better. I know you already accepted my apology, but when I said I was sorry this morning I didn't apologize for everything. What I did affected you and the girls mentally and emotionally. And instead of telling you how sorry I was when I got back to Rosewood I roped you back into my mess. And that's how Charlotte got the upperhand. I don't even know how to begin to ask for your forgiveness for that." Alison's eyes drifted down towards the couch cushions.
"I think you just did." Emily gently lifted Alison's chin and lowered her fingers. "Not that you have to beg for anything. I've spent years thinking about this. And the truth is…I forgave you a long time ago. I can't speak for the rest of the girls. That's between you and them. I meant what I said at breakfast. But if you need to hear it again…I forgive you, Alison. And I hope you'll be able to find it in your heart to forgive me, too."
Alison pressed her lips together, the familiar sensation of fire climbing up the back of her throat and into her nose. She'd pushed off the tears for too long.
"Thank you, Emily." She covered her mouth with her fingertips and took a thoughtful breath. "And of course I forgive you." She smiled. "I never thought this is where we'd end up. I came out here to get away, but I also secretly hoped that one day I could find the courage to look you up. But I was scared."
"Of what? Me?" Emily had moved closer to her as she'd been talking.
Alison realized it when their arms brushed together, and the close proximity only reminded her that she could be a danger to her.
"Of what you'd think of me. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me. Or that you'd be mad at me for staying in Rosewood."
And I was terrified that if my psycho sister knew you were back in my life she'd try to hurt you to get to me.
Alison knew it wasn't a practical fear. Charlotte was under supervision. She was 3000 miles away.
"I felt so lost." Three years ago she wouldn't be able to admit it out loud. Her pride would have gotten in the way. But she felt safe with the brunette. "I didn't have anywhere else to go. My mom is dead and my dad disowned me. When Charlotte and Jason turned on me I just…I fell back on old habits." She looked ashamed. "I ran."
Emily paused thoughtfully.
"You were right to run."
"I don't have anyone." She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed them. "I don't have a family anymore."
"That's not true."
Alison wasn't the only one falling back on old habits. Emily reached out to her like she always used to.
"You have me." Her fingers grazed Alison's cheek, her thumb brushing away a tear.
Alison smiled at her and reached up to clutch her fingers. She kissed her knuckles. She tasted like the beach.
"This last month has been a nightmare." It felt so good to finally get it off her chest. She'd been faking a smile for so long. "I've barely slept. My roommates were trash. I've had to shuffle and find my way around to gigs without a car. I flirted a lot to get what I wanted. I'm not proud of it. Guys would buy me drinks and we'd have dinner at the Airbnb a lot. No one ever asked me to pay. I was the only girl there, so they wanted to impress me. My paychecks have been sporadic. The gigs pay very well, but it takes time to roll out the check. They have to go through the prints first and decide which ones they want. I do have some money saved from working at the high school, but it's not nearly enough. I have been trying to get on my feet. It's been a lot."
Emily knew what it was like to just scrape by in life. She had worked very hard when she was in high school. She'd always held a steady job…sometimes multiple jobs. She had to work to get to where she was. Her parents helped as much as they could. She knew she was lucky that her father's job covered a lot of her college expenses. She was lucky that she'd found a condo she could afford. She was lucky her mother was kind enough to co-sign the loan, because she knew her child would pay it back.
But Alison had never struggled financially a day in her life. Her parents, while they had been horrible people, always gave her what she wanted. They were loaded and Alison had a trust fund.
All Emily could think about was what the girls had said to her earlier. Spencer had made a good point about her trust fund.
"Can I ask…what happened to your trust fund?"
Alison squirmed, and for a brief second Emily wondered if any of her struggling artist story was true. Then she felt guilty for second-guessing her. There really was no other reason she would have stayed in that frat boy party house if she'd been able to afford a hotel or somewhere nicer.
Alison played with her fingertips and observed her nails, avoiding the question for as long as she could.
She wasn't proud of what the money had gone towards.
She blew out a puff of air and several strands of her hair moved out of her face.
"My dad cut Jason and me off and refused to help with Charlotte's medical care. So…we funneled it all into getting her help. Psychiatric care is not cheap. We bought her the best mental help we could afford. We still had the house as a back-up if we needed money. But after I turned on her, Jason turned on me. We were supposed to have equal shares of the house, but the deed is in his name…and he's super pissed at me…"
That didn't sound like the Jason DiLaurentis that Emily remembered. He could be a mean perverted drunk, but he was in a program for his alcoholism back then. He had helped them more than once when they were being tortured. She hadn't forgiven him for what he'd done in the NAT club, but she did see that he was trying to change. Watching his gross pedophile friends drop dead had done a number on him.
"Maybe he'll come around." Emily gave Alison an optimistic look.
"Maybe." She shrugged, but she wasn't sure. "But I'm not counting on it. He saw me leaving as a betrayal. But he didn't see what I saw in Charlotte. She has him wrapped around her finger. I think he still resents me because mom and dad were so much harder on him than they were on me. And I get it."
"It's not right. At the end of the day you're still family."
"Not according to him. Not anymore. So I bailed. I left Rosewood and haven't looked back since. Like I said, I had a little saved up, which is how I'm making it work here. But the whole reason I stayed at that Airbnb was because I'm trying not to lose what little I have left. While I'm building my brand I know that I have to do something for work. And I'm fine in the spotlight here…pretending to be someone else for the cameras. No one really knows the truth…" She hesitated. "Well, except the corrupt police department pulling records illegally. But if they let those slip that would be a hell of a lawsuit. And let's face it...no one would care about me if they knew the truth. I'm just a successful statistic that made it home safely. Another basic white girl who disappeared and got more coverage than the millions of Black teenagers who disappear without a trace."
"Wow." Emily rubbed her jaw.
Statistically what she said was true, but Emily hadn't expected it to come out of the blonde's mouth. She never thought she'd see the day where Alison DiLaurentis showed this level of self-awareness.
"I didn't even realize it until I came across an old news article about Maya…" Another one of Emily's ex-girlfriends.
It was hard to hate Maya given she'd met such a violent end. Like Alison, Maya had disappeared, but her story had ended much differently.
She saw the pain on Emily's face as soon as she looked up. Maya had been the first girl Emily loved after she'd run off. Alison had kept an eye from a distance. And it seemed like Maya was taking care of her. She'd never really felt threatened by Maya. Not the way she'd felt threatened by Paige. Maya had seemed like such a gentle soul. Even Alison was intrigued by her from afar. She was just glad someone was taking care of Emily.
But then history had repeated itself and Maya had disappeared. And unlike Alison, Maya's disappearance had barely been a blip on the radar. The town didn't seem to care as much about a Black teenager going missing.
When Alison came across the single news article about her murder a year after Emily left Rosewood she realized that there was a glaring difference between their disappearances and how it was covered in the media.
"The bias in the media is so unfair." Alison puffed out her cheeks and blew out a breath. "I had a lot of time to read when I was in Rosewood. And I started really paying attention to important things. And not a day goes by that I don't think about that article…about her family and what they must have been going through...what they're still going through. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for you. I am so sorry you had to go through that…again."
"It still hurts to think about it." Emily sniffed through her nose and cleared her throat. "There was a lot to process. I've learned to live with it. But that initial feeling that hits you when it happens…that grief never goes away. Even now."
She rubbed her palms against her thighs and exhaled a quiet breath. Alison could see the pain she hid so well behind her eyes.
"It's like…the world just stops. And you see others moving forward like nothing is wrong. You're standing still in the middle of a storm surge and the water is rising and you're going to drown. You want to move, but you can't." Emily closed her eyes, trying to push it away.
"Because moving forward without them is worse than going under." Alison reached over to squeeze Emily's hand.
Her touch seemed to awaken something inside of the brunette, who had gotten lost in the recesses of her mind. She slowly opened her eyes and nodded.
"I remember what it feels like." Alison choked back her emotions.
"Your mom." Emily gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure it eats at you not knowing what happened to her. At least with Maya they figured out who killed her."
Alison's mother had been murdered before Alison could get closure. The blonde never got a chance to ask her why she chose to protect Charlotte instead of fighting for her. She had never gotten the opportunity to tell her mother how it felt to be buried alive after Charlotte tried to kill her. And the fact that the last memory she had of her was the video of her being buried haunted her. Someone had sent it to her to torture her.
She still had nightmares of seeing her mother's body being hauled out of the dirt in the Hastings' yard. It had been a chaotic and painful whirlwind.
The smell of death that never leaves.
It permeates the air.
It clings to your skin.
The screams…a horror movie on repeat when your eyes are closed.
The pain is insufferable. Unconscionable.
Alison wanted answers, but she never got them.
Charlotte had denied any involvement from the start.
But Alison asked her again point blank if she had anything to do with it when she was in Welby. She wasn't even angry anymore. She was hollow…and empty. And she thought if she knew the truth she would feel better.
What no one ever told people about being the surviving loved ones of someone who was murdered was how achingly lonely it was…and how not knowing gnawed away at you until there was nothing left.
A hole in the heart.
A weight on the soul.
The cops hadn't found any evidence linking anyone to the crime. All they had was her cause of death, hypotension resulting in hypoxia. Basically her blood pressure had dropped dangerously low and she'd stopped breathing.
What had happened after that and how she'd ended up in a shallow grave was still up in the air. The approximate time of death had ruled out her father and Spencer's parents. Her dad had been at a conference and the Hastings had been out of town.
In the beginning, she thought maybe she could get that sense of closure she was missing by connecting with Charlotte. But all Charlotte had done was manipulate her and lie to her.
Alison was desperate for answers.
She even told her sister if she had anything to do with it she wouldn't be upset. But Charlotte had sworn she hadn't hurt her.
"I loved her," Charlotte had been sitting across a flimsy plastic table staring back at her, tears in her eyes. "She's the only one who saw me for me…who LOVED me for me."
"That's not true." Alison had reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Jason and I love you."
At the time Alison had believed Charlotte. She truly had no reason to hurt their mother. But all of that had been before her sister had showed her true face. She was a terrifying monster that hid beneath the depths, and Alison was certain she was capable of anything.
Alison knew she should hate her mother, but she didn't. She missed her. She was sad she was gone, and she hated they'd never gotten a chance to talk. But mostly she struggled with unresolved feelings.
She'd only ever felt the grief Emily was talking about one other time in her life.
"Not just my mom." Alison gently let go of Emily's hand and reached up to rub her arm. "I thought you were going to die when Mona locked you in that barn full of carbon monoxide. When I pulled you out…" Her voice faltered and cracked, "…I thought I was too late. I thought I'd lost you. Your lips were blue and I couldn't see you breathing. And it made me feel like I couldn't breathe."
A world without Emily was darkness without light.
"Losing you seemed incomprehensible. I realized that day what you were going through. All the pain I was putting on your shoulders. I can't even begin to imagine what I would have done if you…" The thought was too terrible for Alison to speak it out loud. "To think that when I ran away I put you and the girls through that kind of grief…"
"You were scared. Someone tried to kill you. And your mother covered it up. Hell, I would have run, too." Emily's smooth brown eyes made Alison feel like melting into the couch. "I do wish you had trusted us enough to tell the truth back then, but I understand why you were afraid."
"You must have been devastated."
"It was…I was…" Emily rubbed her eyes. "I thought I was never going to be able to breathe again. And then…with Maya. Losing her so violently after losing you? I just…I gave up. I completely spiraled out of control."
"I wish I had been there for you." Alison regretted a lot of things, but hurting the people she cared for the most and being absent when they needed her support…was the worst.
"I wish I had been there for you, too." Emily quietly admitted. She sighed. "Grief is so strange." She lifted her chin, her eyes stopping on a photo of all of them in Rosewood. It had been taken the day before everyone left for college. "Leaving Rosewood was a double-edged sword. It gave me a fresh start. I left horrible memories behind. But…" Her eyes drifted to Alison's eyes. "I left a lot of good memories, too." She paused. "Leaving you was one of the hardest things I've ever done."
"But you had to do it. You had to grow." Alison managed to choke out the words. "We both did. I understand that."
"That's true. But I missed you so much. I carried a grief that I didn't understand for a while. I knew you were alive, but that pain of loss…" She clucked her tongue. "One of our LGBTQ counselors told me about ambiguous grief. They see a lot of kids struggling with it after their family distances themselves from them. I know this move was my choice. But you were 3000 miles away. And as far as I knew, you were safe. But I still grieved for you."
"I went through the same thing. I grieved for you, too." She'd never been able to put it into terms she could understand, but that's exactly how she felt. "And I don't want to ever lose you again."
"Me either."
"So…where does this leave us? I mean…" Alison's veins buzzed when she thought about The Kissing Rock. "I would like to…if you're interested…I want to see if there is still something there."
"There's definitely something there, for me at least." Emily leaned towards Alison and fixed the stray hairs falling around her face. "But I think we need to do it right this time."
The last thing Emily needed in her life right now was another heartbreak. She had built herself back up from the last one, and it had nearly killed her.
"Okay…like how?"
"We'll start slow." Emily said. "I'd like to just reconnect in general. Go to dinner. Go to the beach. Go to the movies. Just…hang out."
"So…you want to date me?" Alison was amused.
But she also knew that Emily was right. Their relationship had never been traditional. Maybe that's why there was so much push and pull with them.
"Sure. Call it what you want. But I want you to get to know me again. And I want to get to know you."
"We already know each other…" Alison nudged her, a flirtatious smile on her lips.
"Not these versions of ourselves."
"You're Emily. And I'm Alison. That's all that matters."
"There's a little more to it than that." Emily chuckled. "We've both been through a lot. And we're both different people now. I mean…I didn't know you could cook like Top Chef."
Alison didn't realize she had a knack for making edible food either. Back in Rosewood she'd only cooked for herself. And since she'd been in Malibu she hadn't set foot in a kitchen. So she was proud of herself for the delicious breakfast she'd made.
"Compliments of nearly three years of not having much of a social life when I wasn't online. I got bored. I even did some gardening."
Emily let out a boisterous laugh.
"What?" Alison laughed. "It's true! I didn't share it on my socials, but I grew some of my own spices and vegetables. I found it comforting."
"It's a wonder that you and my mother aren't best friends."
"I thought about reaching out, but I was in a weird place. And I didn't think she'd want to hear from me, given why I stayed in Rosewood." Sometimes she forgot that her friends' parents had suffered because of her sister, too.
Pam had been sick with worry when Emily disappeared. Everyone's parents were a wreck after they were kidnapped. Hanna's mom had to be hospitalized because the grief was too heavy on her soul. Alison had been so blinded by family ties that she hadn't stopped to consider that Charlotte destroyed her friends' families.
"My mom and I went through some tough times, but she's a Mama Bear. She would have welcomed you with open arms." Emily glanced at her, a look in her eyes bestowing the kindness Alison had always seen in her.
"She's probably the only in Rosewood who would." Alison muttered under her breath.
"Well, you're not in Rosewood anymore." Emily laid her arm against the top of the couch behind Alison's shoulders.
It was so casual and smooth that it made Alison feel like a teenager with a crush again. Only this time it was more than a crush. And she wouldn't deny it.
Her phone jingled at her. She picked it up and glanced at the screen.
Just following up. 10 AM tomorrow. Shoot at the studio. Fits have been approved.
"No, I'm most certainly not in Rosewood anymore." She laughed at the text. She swiped back a response. "It's the photographer I'm meeting with tomorrow. Ryan. He loves the landscape shots I sent him today. You have a good eye."
"Sometimes." Emily's eyes tracked Alison's motions.
It was so strange to her that Alison DiLaurentis was sitting on her couch. Just hours ago they'd been kissing by the shore. It felt like a dream.
"I have a studio shoot tomorrow." Alison was totally oblivious to Emily's wandering eyes as she finished up her response. "But he wants to get the crew to travel to the locations early next week."
She looked up and noticed Emily's eyes for the first time, drawing her in. She angled her body towards the brunette.
"I'll keep The Kissing Rock to myself though." She winked. "It'll be our little secret."
"That's a secret I can get behind." Emily scooted closer.
"I'd love it if you could come with us on location." Her brows angled down slightly, wondering if she sounded conceited. "After all, I wouldn't know about any of those places if it wasn't for you."
Emily didn't seem to think anything of the statement.
"I'll have to check my work schedule." She reached for her phone. "I've got lifeguard duty next week and I bar-tend in the evenings sometimes. But maybe I could switch some things around with my coworkers."
"We can work around your schedule. They won't be able to find the locations without me." A mischievous twinkle in her eye reignited every single burning ember in Emily's heart.
Alison was so bold and unpredictable. She had been a monster in Rosewood, but she had also been adventurous and had a way of making people feel special.
Emily could see the change in her personality, and now that she knew what Alison had gone through she understood it. She knew it wasn't an act.
"Sounds good to me." Emily's phone interrupted her. "I've got to finish up some things at the non-profit. I'm going to get changed and throw on some fresh deodorant and head down there."
She pushed up off of the couch.
Alison scowled at the back of her head, not wanting her to leave.
Get back here and kiss me again.
That scowl was gone when Emily turned around.
"I'll be back in a few hours and I'll make us some dinner. That sound like a plan?" She suggested.
"Yeah. I'd like that." Alison tried to look unbothered by the fact that she was going back to work.
She knew they would have plenty of time to get to know each other again.
"I'm not as good of a cook as my mom is, but she wouldn't let me leave without learning some of her best recipes. So I'll make something good." Emily promised.
"Can't wait." Alison stood up next to Emily.
Before the brunette could rush off, Alison grasped her wrist. She saw Emily's eyes dart down towards her hand. When she looked up again, Alison was closing the distance between them. She cupped Emily's cheek.
Emily thought she was going to move in for a kiss, but instead Alison just smiled at her.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For listening to me."
Emily smiled back at her. She lifted her hand and her fingertips grazed Alison's lips. She was mesmerized by the blonde's mouth. She always had been.
Alison kissed the tips of her fingers. She angled her head and moved forward and Emily mirrored her motions.
Their lips brushed together softly.
The kiss was less hurried and less needy than the kisses they'd shared earlier.
Alison laid her palm against Emily's hip, her fingers edging up underneath her shirt, tickling her side. Her hot damp skin felt heavenly.
Gorgeous. So gorgeous.
Her touch urged Emily to come closer.
The brunette reached up and stroked Alison's back, her fingers playing musical notes along her spinal cord as she pushed their bodies together until there was no space left between them.
Emily's hand crept up towards her neck, her palm finding the nape of it, her fingers tangling in her wavy blonde hair.
It elicited a moan from the blonde that reverberated between them, sending the vibration through both of their bodies.
The chemistry between them was undeniable. The way they naturally fell together was much like a clay molding that took shape only when they were connecting. A beautiful work of art that needed to be preserved by a fiery kiln.
When they pulled away they were both grinning at each other.
Emily's phone chirped at her again.
She grumbled at it, muttering something about how being an adult sucked sometimes. But then she looked at Alison and all her anger faded.
"Make yourself at home."
As Emily walked towards the bedroom to get changed Alison let her eyes wander over her backside.
She plopped back down on the couch.
Emily slowed just before reaching the doorway, putting one hand on the trim. She turned around and Alison's eyes darted towards her phone.
"Ali?" Emily called softly.
"Hmm?" She pretended like she hadn't just been looking at Emily's ass.
"I'm really glad we had this talk. It's a relief to know there are no more secrets between us." Her lips were still swollen and bruised from their kiss and Alison couldn't take her eyes off of them.
"Me too. No more secrets." Alison nodded.
Except the one little detail that Charlotte wants to kill all of us.
But she was locked up. And Alison would see to it that she stayed locked up. Because they wouldn't release her without victim impact statements, and that included Alison.
"Just The Kissing Rock." Alison smiled.
"Just The Kissing Rock." The right side of Emily's lips tugged up against her cheek, flashing a small half-smile that told Alison she was still thinking about the kiss. "Oh, I almost forgot." Emily unlocked her phone screen. "I'm going to text you Samara's and Zoe's numbers in case you need anything. I heard you met them this morning."
"I was wearing pajamas." Alison wasn't sure why it was the first thing out of her mouth, but she lowered her head and slapped her hands over her face and laughed.
Emily laughed with her.
"Samara didn't mention that." Emily looked way too amused, which only made Alison blush even more.
"What did she mention?" Alison had seen the way Samara was sizing her up, like she knew something that Alison didn't know.
Emily couldn't help but think of the way Samara had been teasing her. And she had been right, which was both funny and annoying. She was definitely going to gloat.
"Your reputation in Rosewood does not precede you apparently." Emily shot her a wink.
"Oh? We'll have to see about that. I may look like a pretty little priss, but I can still channel that Queen Bee energy when I want to." She challenged.
"Whatever you say, pillow princess." The cocky look on Emily's face was so alluring.
Alison threw a throw pillow at her.
"Excuse me? What? I am no one's pillow princess."
"We'll see." Emily picked the pillow up and tossed it back to her.
"Don't think I'm going to forget about our little rematch tonight." She pat the sofa cushion.
She had slept fairly well on the couch. It was old and worn in, which was somewhat perfect. And with Emily by her side she'd never slept better. Until they could share the same bed, she wouldn't mind cuddle time on the couch.
"I look forward to it." Emily disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Alison longing for more.
"It should be illegal for someone to be that hot," she muttered to herself.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, jolting her eyes away from where Emily had been standing moments ago. She had several alerts on a photo she'd taken of herself at one of the locations Emily had suggested.
Well hot damn sexy!
Looking gorgeous per usual.
Slay!
Me gusta.
God is a woman. And her name is Alison DiLaurentis.
You may look pretty on the outside, but no filter can hide the ugliness of your soul.
She frowned at the screen.
She rolled her eyes at the trolling attempt and deleted it without a second thought.
She had no way of knowing that it was insidious.
She tried not to let negative comments get to her. She scrolled through the rest of the positive replies and then put her phone down.
Her eyes drifted to the picture on the mantel that had caught her eye earlier. They had just been kids, in love and unaware. She stood up and walked over to the mantel. She picked the frame up and studied the smiles on their faces.
She still wasn't entirely sure how their dating life would work, but she was along for the ride. She trusted Emily, and she wanted to do things the right way, no matter how much it killed her to not jump her bones. She knew she would be just as happy with Emily by her side.
She realized how vitally important spending time together was later that evening when Emily came home from work.
That night Alison learned she wasn't the only one who had learned to cook. Emily made them an amazing stir fry with vegetables, chicken, and rice.
They'd settled on the couch to eat. Emily picked out a comedy show. It turned out to be a good choice.
Alison would never tire of the brunette's smile.
Emily's smile was vibrant and it brightened up the room. Every time she laughed Alison felt a tugging sensation in her chest.
Emily felt that same pull when she looked over and caught a glimpse of the blonde laughing.
Once they finished dinner they settled in for another long night of who will fall asleep first?
Alison was sure she would outlast Emily, but the brunette proved to be a worthy challenger.
After she fell asleep Emily gently stroked her fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head. She started to lay her down, but Alison protested in her sleep, clutching Emily's tank top and nuzzling against her chest. So Emily laid down with her and closed her eyes. The feeling of Alison's rhythmic breathing against her chest slowly lulled her to sleep.
They were so wrapped up in one another that neither one of them could sense the danger lurking in the shadows.
Alison was certain she had left her past behind, but something she would soon discover was that running away from demons didn't vanquish them from existence. Sooner or later the darkness came crawling back. And it crept in the pitch black of night...sneaking up without warning.
A/N: Ah, yes, I see the pitchforks have been pulled out. In my defense...*runs away and hides*
But for real though, having them talk it out is something I wanted to see happen on the show. Since it didn't happen...this fic exists!